Film Review by Carolyn Hamaker: “Got It Maid”

Got it Maid is one of the short films that was selected to be in the 2017 Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival. It was created by Shawn Semana, a recent graduate from UCLA. The film is about Mila, an underprivileged Filipina maid, who has a passion for singing. Mila works hard to make a living for herself and her son. Mila’s son encourages her to follow her dreams and enters her into a singing contest. She must decide if she is willing to chase after her dream or continue living the life she is used to.

One prevalent theme in the short film was the importance of maintaining a support group of friends and family. The relationship between Mila and her son as well as Mila and her friends is heartwarming. The film also examines relationships of class and race. The film looked at injustices that many working class Asian Americans face. However, you don’t need to be Asian American to relate to the film. Many working class people face the same challenges Mila as her friends. Furthermore, Mila discovers that life in America is very different than it was for her in the Philippines and many people can relate to this as well.

The production quality of this short film was excellent; the lighting was appropriate for the film. The camera angles and music helped convey the themes. While some of the film’s themes are expected in Asian American film, one scene in the film is very unexpected. This unexpected scene made the film more interesting and it added another dimension of intersectionality to the film. The short was easy to follow and went in chronological order.

This story does not portray stereotypical representations of Asian Americans. This film helps to combat stereotypes. Mila and her son speak perfect English and Mila is not hypersexualized. The film shows that Asian Americans are just like everyone else, with hopes, dreams, and aspirations. I would recommend this film to everyone.

This film can be seen at Cinemapolis during the Ithaca Pan Asian American Film Festival on Thursday, April 20.